Stripping The Feline:
by Kano-sama
Summary: He is Loke, the perfect gentleman, and was trained to handle women. The lady Loke wants, the lady Loke gets. That is him, for no one sues like Loke. He is the ideal boyfriend of all the ladies in Magnolia. Every woman wants him…but Lucy. In a situation like this, what's a feline suppose to do? Happy says, 'Strip.'
1. The Player's Dilemma

**Stripping the Feline**

**Prologue: The Player's Dilemma**

She had fallen for him. She had fallen for the guy without the latter making such effort. That's it. An effortless and flawless scheme, he thought.

Before long, the once infatuated woman would only be contented on settling herself in a distance, sometimes behind the shadows of Fairy Tail's walls, peeping through holes just to get her fill of seeing the guy, even just for a few seconds. Though most of the time, the woman would end up getting caught by her subject of affection and be brushed away coldly, her feelings just grew more and more intense as each days flew.

Then the time came when she was finally recruited by the guild's master. He never really knew what had happen between the two of them. He was told that during the fight between Phantom Lord Juvia was a former member of the Element Four, the Dark Guild's strongest members, and that she had a showdown with the ice mage where guild members also told him that Juvia lose on purpose. Why she did that no one knows why. Since she became a member of Fairy Tail her eyes were always on Gray, so no one could really ask her what really happened during the fight. There were few times when his master and Levy had dared asked her but unexpectedly, Lucy received a fierce glare and the title 'love rival.' 'The hell', he thought. 'She's really head over heels on him. What a flawless scheme indeed.'

Sometimes he thinks the rain woman is a masochists-enjoying herself being ignored. Even though she always ended up like that, her feelings for the exhibitionist just grew much deeper as it drowned her. The worst case scenario? Gray didn't even lift a frozen finger to do anything. Really, an effortless and perfect scheme, and so he thought.

And that thought makes his blood boil and his animalistic side roar.

He is Loke. Leader of the 12 Zodiacs, the perfect gentleman every woman dreamed of. His dashing looks, smooth talk, the way he leads a lady up to his well tailored-suit makes him the epitome of manly perfection. Not to mention the fact that he ranked #2 on the Weekly Sorcerer's Magazine as 'The Most Eligible Bachelor You want To Have as a Boyfriend' under Seigrain (Jellal) and #1 in Fairy Tail's ranking of the same category added popularity to him. And because of that, every woman in town flocks to him whenever he's spotted, much to the dismay and irritation of his master.

Yes, he is Loke. The player and a lady's man. But that was before he met his new master, Lucy Heartfilia. Before, he was everybody's Loke. But now he just wanted to be Leo, the ever faithful, caring and loving servant of Lucy Heartfilia. Before, he was just an exiled, lost spirit who had committed an unforgivable sin that even his own cannot bring justification on his past actions. He was a murderer, an unreliable servant, a useless tool that caused, though indirectly, the death of his former owner Karen Lilica. Yes, he was supposed not just to suffer, but to die as well.

But not until Lucy came for him in the nick of time, realizing who he really was and why he was like that. He was dying, he knew it, that there's no escaping his verdict until Lucy made a miracle out of nothing, even standing and defending him from the spirit king himself. Though not the strongest mage there was, she even summoned all her gold and silver keys to have their support for him, to prove that there's nothing wrong in standing up for your friend's sake. It was risky, stupid, he thought. He is a spirit who has lived eons of years than Lucy and that he know the rules more that her. He was convinced that time that whatever Lucy had in mind was futile as he was guilty. And he has finally acknowledged it even from the start.

He was dying. He was letting go until she said things that stirred his mind. '_You wanted to vanish to atone for your sins? Then don't you know how we will feel about it?',_ and_ 'If I can't protect my friends, then what is the use of having magic?' _and lastly_, 'If that is the rule, then I will change it._' Those words etched themselves on his being, and as he received forgiveness from the spirit king and was given to Lucy, he vowed that very day that he will protect her with all his life, just like she did to him.

And that he did. He was always protecting her, watching over her even from the astral plane. Most of the time he will force his gate open just to make sure his master is doing well, and remind Lucy that he will always be by her side no matter what happens. That all she needed to do was call him.

He was doing quite a good job until he realized something. He was falling for his master. At first, he tried to acquaint it with his feelings towards other girls he had been before, thinking that it was natural for him to feel something for his savior. Gratitude perhaps? Yes, that would be it. She saved him so it was natural to be thankful and feel something deep for her. After all, he is Leo the spirit of the lion, belonging to the cat family, and cats will only be loyal to those who had tried the hardest way to earn their trust.

And that thing Lucy had unconsciously did. She had unceremoniously put her life on the line for him. And that was enough for Loke to love his master. He may have not yet stop his old habit of flirting and dating very girl in Magnolia but his heart and loyalty already belongs to his master. He was inlove with her. And he has vowed to do anything it takes for his master to notice and reciprocate his love.

He is Loke, the perfect gentleman, and was trained to handle women. The lady Loke wants, the lady Loke gets. That is him, for no one sues like Loke. From flowers to chocolates, teddy bears and dates, it all takes a couple of his winks and irresistible smiles to have his girl. He is the ideal boyfriend of all the ladies in Magnolia that they even agreed to share Loke with each other. Every woman wants him but Lucy.

He has tried everything known to men on how to get the attention of the girl you like. Yes, everything he had tried but nothing happened. Still, Lucy just brushed him off every time he declares his love for her. He had courted her, flirted with her. He even used his magic (Light of Love) to add some romance when he confessed to her after he had saved her from Bixlow but she just shrugged it off.

Well, who can't blame Lucy? I mean, everyone knows what a playboy Loke is. Though hard as he might try, some says that 'first impression lasts.'

He was nearing his limit, but he loves her. Although he had almost done everything he can, he doesn't want to give up. He has to think of better ways to make Lucy see that his feelings are real. But what else can he do? It was driving him crazy, and the scene in front of him was making his blood boil.

Sitting on the farthest corner of the guild was Gray with a blushing Juvia. They were talking animatedly about something but he didn't care to listen to them. Just the image of the two made him jealous and confused.

Gray was good looking but cold. And the rain woman was really head over heels on him. But what made the lion spirit so confused was the fact that Gray didn't do anything to deserve the attention and affection of the rain woman. He hadn't put up any effort in the first place! Unlike him, he would make sure that the girl would feel like she is the center of his world, that she is the star of his night. He would always make sure that the girl will be happy.

But, Gray? He who does not know how to court a woman properly, who only knows how to clash his head with the flame-brained idiot, who only knows how to break in his master's apartment, he who…who only knows how to strip!

With this things running in his mind, Loke let out a desperate groan.


	2. Flight of The Cat

**Chapter 1: Flight of the Cat**

As the morning dew lifted itself up, light also began to penetrate on every corner of the busy town. Windows of houses and establishments started to open, signaling the start of a brand new day as the sun's soft rays passed them, loving the gentle and healthy warmth it provide.

As he made his way along the cobbled stone road, he was greeted with the familiar 'good morning handsome' by the housewives; some of them busy hanging their laundry to dry and some on their way for an errand. Though, almost every time he would hear such terms of endearment, it never falters to make his pride swell. After all, his personality is made up of 100% pride. He is Leo the lion spirit, the leader of the 12 Zodiacs, and the strongest of them all. And when we say lion, it means the king of beast.

He continued his walk, enjoying the scent of the fresh morning air and the smell of the ground after the heavy down pour here on Earth land last night. 'Hmm, this is what you call peace and quiet,' he thought, but was easily replaced by a grimace when his ears picked up familiar voices and squealing. 'Way to start the morning, Loke' he grumbled to himself.

"Loke-kun," came the freaky voices.

"I miss you! Where on earth have you been?"

Loke cringed and forced a smile on his face, trying to hide his annoyance and irritation. He heaved a deep sigh and tried his best to compose himself before turning his head to the voices' direction, where he saw squealing girls in different colors.

Tinted glass glinting in the early sunlight matching his infamous smile that melt hearts, he uttered a refreshing 'good morning beautiful ladies' that received a dozen of fits and giggles. 'Women,' he thought. He really has no time for this!

"Loke-kun," a raven-haired aristocrat seductively said, arms encircling on his'. "Let's get out of here. We can go in an out of town vacation…just you and me," the last four words she said maliciously, batting her lashes that matched her black orbs.

"No, don't listen to her, Loke-kun!" cried another. "Father's ship will set sail this afternoon and I already told him you're coming with me."

"…"

"No, come with me," a few more girls chorused.

Dubbed as the 'perfect gentleman' and being trained to professionally handle women, Loke gently tilted his head, faced the raven-haired aristocrat and stared at her intently. For minutes, they remained locked in each other's gaze, ignoring the other ladies' protests. Then he slowly cupped her cheek and lowered his lips.

Assuming that they will surely end up in a heated kiss, one by one the ladies dramatically fled in embarrassment, each of them crying some 'how could you, Loke-kun!' and 'you broke my heart, sweetheart!' as they left.

Plan A

Status: Success.

Plan B

Status: Executing

Said aristocrat, now beet red in the face shut her eyes and pouted her lips even more, hands clutching at Loke's jacket, as if bracing herself for whatever may come. She could feel Loke's warm breath on her face as she patiently waited for the contact.

"Hurry, kiss me,"

"As much as I want to ravage you, Milady, I'm afraid we have to postpone this little romantic play," Loke whispered in her ear.

The lady furiously shot her eyes wide open and saw Loke looking at her seriously. "What the hell…" and she suddenly clamped her hands in her mouth.

Loke winced upon hearing the foul word. He then released the lady from his hold, sheepishly pocketed his hands and stared at the now risen sun. "You," he began, adjusting his tinted shade in a sloppy manner, "Milady is a beauty to behold, much brighter that the sun itself…"

The woman blushed a thousand shades of red. "Oh, Loke-kun…"

"But," Loke paused and stared down at the dirty and wet cobbled stone beneath his feet.

A brow twitched and a number of veins popped on the lady's forehead; thankfully her make-up was almost half an inch thick that it did a good job on hiding those irregularities on her face. "But what?" she hissed acidly.

Loke, still staring at the floor beneath him, started playing with the dirt by kicking mud all over, due to the impact, some made their way on to the lady's skirt.

The woman just ignored his game and eyed him warily. "But what?" she repeated, now the sweetness in her voice all gone.

He slowly lifted his gaze to her and smiled bitterly. "But foul words certainly cannot conceal a person's real heart."

Plan B

Status: Success

The sun was now at its peak, and almost everyone was now in search for the coolest place to stay for protection from the ferocious heat. It was only the start of spring, and supposedly, the sun shouldn't be that angry. Seems like it really missed its job while being absent from the last winter.

Down a dark and run down alley way, where people not so often passed, someone moved beneath the shadows of the rubble. As if afraid of being assaulted, he slowly moved forward, sometimes checking on his surrounding as though a huge predator might suddenly lunge forward and swallow him whole. Though the day was really hot, he didn't mind removing his jacket for one bit, thinking that a simple noise of his movement might give out his hiding place, ruin his day, and most of all, cost his life

For hours, he stayed still settled in the darkest of the alley. Finally sensing no more of the menacing aura from earlier, Loke slowly rose and darted forward to the opening, observed his surrounding behind those tainted glasses and mentally counted.

'3,'

'2,'

'1,'

He then leaped out of the dark completely and sprinted fast like his dear nine lives hangs on mid air. He continued to run, feeling stupid at himself for his foolishness. 'Pathetic,' he thought. His jacket's hem flapped against his thighs as he hurriedly passed a group of ladies calling him. 'Pathetic;' he muttered again as he quickened his pace as he neared his destination.

Upon stepping on the luscious green grass beneath, he let himself collapsed against the soft earth and laughed maniacally, glass lopsided, and jacket drenched in sweat.

"Really, I'm pathetic, " for the third time he told himself." Running like an idiot instead of just returning to the astral plane."

It was very much unlike him, he thought as he closed his eyes to get some sleep and the moment he did so, image of a horror-stricken face flashed before him; the image of the aristocrat from earlier. He had foolishly thought that he could easily dispatch her, that after what he had said to her, she will cry and run away. Well, she did run, but she didn't cry. And the worst part of it, she did ran after him, saying that she's sorry that she didn't mean making Loke upset, saying that she'll do anything but leave him for his forgiveness.

But Loke had seen through the lie that's why he decided to leave. But the lady was persistent, following him for what seemed like forever before Loke got annoyed and started running away from her sight.

"Well, atleast I've gotten rid of her," he absent mindedly told himself.

"Gotten rid of whom?"

Loke automatically shot his eyes wide open and quickly pushed himself up, accidentally bumping his head against something he did make out as a furred, blue head. He scowled in pain, gently caressing his own forehead before looking behind him.

"You…"

"You're cruel, Loke!" a teary eyed blue exceed with a slight bump on his forehead cried in pain. "Really, what's eating you?' Happy asked making a face.

Loke sighed inwardly and sat cross legged, looking at the little bump on Happy's head. "Really, I'm sorry Happy. I didn't know you were there…"

"I've been calling you for ages," Happy thinly snapped.

"…"

The Exceed stood up and dusted himself. "Ne, Loke, is there a problem?" he asked voice full of concern.

Loke chuckled and smile mischievously. "Don't tell me…" Loke whispered, looking at Happy with a dirty look, making the cat quiver. "Don't tell me…"

"DON'T YOU DARE FINISHED THAT SENTENCE!"

He burst out laughing hard at the Exceed, for a second forgetting the random things he had in mind.

Happy was less entertained at all. Spreading his wings and flying a good two meters high, he shot the perverted lion a disapproving look before saying, "if you don't want people and Exceeds getting worried about you, then stop making that face when you're with us. And maybe," he paused and thought for a moment and a sly smile appeared. "Maybe if I tell Lucy about how you flirted with the women this morning and how one of them actually chased the hell out of you, maybe you'll come back to your senses." And the Exceed started flying away but was held back by a tight grip on the tail.

"Loke, let go of my tail! What if it comes off?" Happy cried but the lion spirit did not heed his plead. Instead he pulled the now thrashing cat and lowered him to his gaze.

"You were spying on me," Loke warmly said, making the cat lose his normal color.

'Aye," Happy could only say as his brain flashed before him the 'danger' light.

"You were spying on me. On what purpose, Happy?" Loke once again spoke. He really doesn't enjoy scaring the little cat. But then again, this is Loke we're talking about. He was a real gentleman, and he has his pride. And a thing called 'spying' is certainly one thing he can't tolerate.

Happy gulped. "No…not like that…" he tried to explain himself before the lion spirit but no right words seemed to enter his little brain.

Loke laughed a little at the Exceed's confused action before finally deciding to release his grip on his tail. He then once again settled himself comfortable on the soft earth and patted his side, motioning Happy to sit beside him, to which Happy obliged (maybe out of fear, perhaps).

"Who asked you to do it?' he asked, starring at the playing children from afar.

Happy, feeling guilty to what he had done, replied in a small voice. "Lucy…"

"Wha…Luc…ouch!" Upon hearing his master's name, Loke quickly turned his head towards Happy, and accidentally cricked his neck. Restraining a painful groan, he slowly massaged his neck, stroking it gently to avoid worsening his condition. "You mean Lucy asked you," the words escaped his mouth unconsciously. That can't be! He knows his master and he was quite sure that Lucy won't do something as lowly as spying. She said she trusts him, didn't she? That's what makes their bond strong! So how come she asked the Exceed to do this 'crime'?

Happy, seeing the hurt and disbelieving look in his eyes, shrugged. "It was not really Lucy to begin with."

With that statement, Loke felt relieved, but refrained himself from asking questions as to not disrupt the Exceed's tale.

Happy continued. "You've been spacing out recently, so Erza and the rest of team Natsu asked Lucy what was really going on, and of course, Lucy had no clue," he hastily added, frantically flapping his paws in front of his face, afraid that Loke might misunderstood what he mean.

"I get it," Loke abruptly said.

"Well, we all agreed to have someone tail you but Lucy. She said that she can't agree to something that low." Then the cat grimaced and his wings dropped. "If I had known from the start that they're going to use me…" and he sniffed and started crying dramatically.

Loke felt remorse and sympathy for Happy. He softly rubbed his back. "That must be hard on you," he said, thinking of the many loop holes he had gone through to escaped from the aristocrat's claws. If Happy was tailing him from the start, then he would have gone through the same route like he did. He felt guilty.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you, Happy. But really, I'm okay…"

"Is it something you can't tell Lucy?" Happy suddenly asked, raising his head with his blood shot eyes.

Surprised at Happy's sharp thinking, Loke lifted his gaze and sighed. "Yeah, it's something only men can understand."

Silence fell over them after Loke's words were heard. Loke stared at his companion and slightly smiled at the different emotions the cat was showing. He would furrow his brow, heaved a deep sigh, and would scratch his head. Then much to Loke's amazement, Happy closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

Loke, not wanting Happy to be dragged into him, playfully patted his head and coolly said, "You don't have to go that far, Hap…"

"If that's so, I understand it all," Happy blurted out of the sudden, leaving Loke slightly taken aback. Pushing himself up for the second time, he faced the lion spirit with such indignation, pointed his thumb on his now swelled chest and bravely declared, "If you can't tell Lucy, then tell me! Let's talk about it, man to man, cat to a grown-up cat."


	3. Dealing with The Drunk

**Chapter 2: Dealing with the Drunk**

"…but really, that's something, Happy," Mirajane curtly said, wiping the last of the many tankards she had been busy with.

Happy nodded, not removing his eyes on his now half eaten fish.

"I mean," Mirajane continued, "I can't just believe that he really has that kind of thinking in his right mind. I mean…" and no more words came out as she searched for the appropriate thing to say.

It has been two days since the lion spirit shared his dilemma to the Exceed, or so could he remember. The day Happy recalled as 'the day the playboy lose his touch' was the very same day he had last seen Loke. Not that Lucy isn't calling him or any. He didn't even need his master to summon him for he can always force his gate open and dilly-dally down town. To Happy, he thought maybe Loke, being the prideful lion, felt humiliated himself for confiding his thoughts to the little cat, and Happy thought it was stupid. What's pride when you're hurting, Happy muttered to himself as he thought about how Loke has changed from the past days when he was visiting the guild. He was known to be calm, always composed, and rational. The very opposite of his partner, Natsu, and much more like Gray minus the stripping part. He would always be calm when the two mages clashes head, always trying to make a better atmosphere. That was the Loke Happy knew before the eventful day.

At first, Happy could swear that he was closed to tears from restraining his laughter when Loke told him what was really happening. But then, it was him that suggested to the spirit to tell him everything so that he can help and that laughing at him would mean he's just toying with him around.

_"I've done everything but Lucy won't see me as a man."_

That was Loke's opening words. It was good as telling him that he's been rejected by Lucy.

Well, who can blame the sweet celestial mage? She was a hopeless romantic; he was a ladies' man, a player by choice. Truth be told but Loke, although Happy very much welcome the possibility of him and Lucy ending up together in a happily ever after, was never considered as a potential love interest by Lucy to begin with.

"_She always brushes me off whenever I try to tell her how much I love her."_

Of course, do you expect her to easily fall for you using your cheesy lines and flirting styles? 'And besides,' Happy thought to himself, 'even if I were Lucy, I wouldn't believe you when say you love me and the moment I shift my gaze you'll be tailing another girl.'

_"She won't go out on dates with me."_

At this statement, Happy almost bit Loke's head off. Trying hard to control his irritation, Happy let out a frustrated groan and bluntly said, "It's because you're a pervert."

'Maybe being a grown-up cat is really hard,' Happy thought, swallowing his last bit of fish. But then again, his mind won't leave him in peace.

"Why's a cat wearing a broken man's face?" A deep voice came from behind him as a stool was pulled lazily and Gildarts's lazy body slumped in it.

"Gildarts! You're back! Fight me!"

Happy quickly jumped out of the table as an overly excited Natsu dashed forward, fists raised. "Roar of the…"

Whack!

Gildarts only needed to raise his left hand and backhand Natsu, sending the poor dragon slayer crashing up on the ceiling.

"Natsu!" Happy cried as he flew up to where Natsu was, head stuck on the ceiling. Happy tried pulling him out but found his efforts in vain. "Natsu…"

"He's just passed out," came Gildarts' voice from below. 'Better than having him energetically grilling us all."

"Stupid. Never learning his lesson," Gray dryly said, sliding in the tool beside Gildarts. "On the rocks," he addressed the white haired bartender patiently waiting for Gildarts' order.

"Already infected by Cana?" the older mage asked dreamily, motioning Mira to give him the same drink the ice mage had asked. "Never thought you're into hard ones."

Gray smirked and rested his face on his palms. "I really need a drink. A hard one to knock some senses on me. Thanks, Mira," he added quickly gulping his tankard empty and after that lowered his head.

Gildarts watched him with amusement and a silly smile graced his tired, yet handsome face. "I'm starting the countdown. Five…four…"

Gray hiccupped.

"Three…two…"

Gray quickly stood up and braced himself on the edge of the table.

"One."

As quick as light, Gray Fullbuster rushed to the nearest cubicle he found.

"HAHAHA!" Gildarts's booming laughter filled the guild, catching every one's attention. He slammed his hand on the table and fisted the other on his aching stomach. "Boy could not hold his alcohol."

The watching Mirajane just smiled at him. "Well, it's the first time he did order a strong one. Always lemons and ciders."

Gildarts' smile slowly started to fade as he raised his head and look around. "Then, better make him take lessons from a pro."

Not really understanding what he meant, Mirajane followed his gaze and a silent 'ohh' escaped her lips.

Two tables from the left end of the bar sat Cana, unceremoniously downing her '5th' barrel.

"Cana," Gildarts suddenly called her daughter, making Mirajane jump.

The Card-Magic User chose to crack an eye open and twitched at the smug look her father sported. "What?" Cana flatly asked.

"That's very much unlady like, Cana," Mirajane remarked, earning herself a silent 'tch' from the Card-Magic User.

"What?" Once again came Cana's bored voice.

His father shrugged. "How about giving Gray a drinking lesson?"

Maybe due to the amount of alcohol she had already contained inside her, after hearing her father all she managed to do was raise a brow and muttered a "huh?" Minutes passed and Cana spilled out every booze inside her, and glared daggers at her father. "What the…you want a death sentence?

Gildarts comically laughed at her daughter. 'Just like Cornelia' he thought. Turning his head towards his daughter, he waved his hand. "No, I'm not interested to die yet. Just a lesson, nothing much."

"Lesson your ass. It's not my problem if he can't control his alcohol," Cana spat.

"And you're very lucky you can." From out of the blue appeared Gray, shirt now gone. "I wonder if you can do the opposite."

"Huh?" Cana's veins popped upon hearing Gray's sarcastic tone." You were saying?"

Wiping the sweat from his brow, the Ice Mage plopped himself down to the nearest stool facing the drinking girl and smirked. "You drink alcohol like water, so I guess ..," Gray paused and licked his lower lip "…but can you really control your alcohol?"

"Now, now…" Mirajane tried to pacify the building tension. Turning her head to Gray, she asked. "What exactly do you mean?"

"Well," Gray lazily started, "…I mean if Cana's really that good in controlling her alcohol, then that means she can also control herself from' drinking' alcohol."

A triumphant grin graced Gray's façade as he saw with such amusement Cana's jaw dropped and how her father choked himself with his drink.

"Well…" he continued, "that is if she's really good in controlling her alcohol like she bragged."

Another inch was added on Gray's now ear to ear length smile as he saw how Cana's brow twitched at how he stressed the words 'controlling her alcohol'. 'Hah! That'll teach you a lesson,' he thought.

'Bastard!' Cana thought. She had only hoped that her day, even though with no job to do, would pass with no ruckuss, but alas, with her father pestering her and a very 'down to hell' attitude from Gray, plus Mirajane's creepy smile, 'God! Just hit my head and let me die!'

"Just as I thought, you can't do it," Gray muttered sarcastically.

"Stop provoking her, Gray," Mirajane reprimanded him. "Gildarts?"

"Oi, stop giving me that pleading look, just leave the kids." And with that he emptied his tankard. "Man, it sure is hot in here. I think it's high time Fairy Tail invest for a little airconditioning."

"That'll be difficult, I think," Gray replied, now slouched on his stool. Using his Ice Make magic, small shards of ice started falling down straight on his exposed chest, quickly melting upon contact to the bare skin, and making its way down, down, down…

Mirajane pondered for a moment. "I think Gray has a point. I mean, " looking at the still stuck dragon slayer up on the ceiling with his blue exceed flying around, she continued, "I mean, there's no guarantee that it won't get destroy once Natsu starts a brawl…"

"Oh, really? What a shame I forgot all about him. I think I'm really aging. Don't you think it's time that I got a grandchild?" Gildarts mused.

"You really think so?" Mirajane sofly said. Shifting her head a little to catch a glance at the bickering pair, a devilish grin graced her angelic face.

Gildarts, keeping a not so steady but observant eye on every one caught the Take Over Mage grinning from ear to ear, making him rose a brow. "What the hell is that…?"

Before Gildarts can finish, he was silenced with Cana's shrill voice.

"Fine! I quit drinking but do your fair share!"

` Gray scoffed. "So you want a bargain? I'm warning you I'm good at it."

Cana was beet red in the face and Gray was in his fighting stance. On fatherly instinct, Gildarts sprang on his daughter's side to calm Cana down, only to be pulled by the ear by the sweet bartender.

"Don't they make a cute couple?"Mira said.

Gildarts could only whined as the Take Over Mage dragged him in a corner and watched his daughter's little fight.

"I won't lose to you, Gray."

"Then bring it on, Cana."

"So you agree," Cana acidly said, catching Gray off guard.

"Agree to what?

"That you'll do your own share of the bargain. You also said you're '_good at it_', yes?"

Gray eyed her warily and sighed. "You mean to say is you'll do as I say and that I'll do as you say?"

"Exactly."

Silence passed as the two bickering mage stared hard at each other, whilst around them several guild members also stopped their conversations to eavesdrop on them. Another couple of minutes passed and Cana's jaw dropped as Gray all of a sudden pointed a shaking finger on her.

"I knew it! You're drunk!" Gray lashed out with a triumphant grin, making Cana's brow twitched and veins popped on her head.

'What the fuck are you saying, you pervert! Of course I'm not drunk. This booze is chicken."

Gray's eyes widened like saucers. "Hah, you see, you're drunk! How can that booze barrel be a chicken? That's it I'm not talking to you, drunk."

"What? Have you been hanging out with Natsu lately? You're starting to be much of an idiot like him. And besides, don't worry, the feeling is mutual. You're the worst, and you know that. You keep insisting that I'm drunk, and we all know that that's rubbish, Gray Fullbuster," she furiously snapped. Then she marched toward the ice mage whose façade masked his irritation with such a playful smirk, and poked his chest. "You," Cana started, "how dare you question my drinking habit? Is it that bad? Have I offended anyone with it? Did I break any law? Did I stole beers, nor do I have unpaid bills? Answer me." Arms now crossed her heaving bosom, Cana cocked a brow and sneered. "How's that, underpants boy?'

Gray, not planning to let go of the conversation that easily scowled. Scratching the back of his head as though searching for answers, he flatly said, "No."

"Huh," Cana acidly repeated him. "What's that 'no'?"

"No," Gray smugly repeated. "My answer is no. No, I'm not questioning your drinking habit, just curious."

"What the hell are you curious about, dammit," Cana hotly asked, slamming her right hand on the table beside her, spilling Natsu's abandoned drink.

"Whoa, easy there, Cana," Gray hastily said, fearing any sudden attack from the now pissed off Card-Magic User. Though bickering right now, he just can't imagine himself having to fight her. Not that he can't fight her because she's a girl. He's just not the type who easily loses his cool and destroys the world. Hell, he's not Natsu.

"Easy my ass, asshole," Cana bellowed, glaring daggers at him.

Hearing the foul word, Gray cringed. "Hey, can't you talk without profanities?" Seeing that the older mage isn't paying attention to what he is saying, Gray sighed. 'Guess I should go home…' Shifting his gaze to the counter, Gray saw a very pissed Gildarts being restrained by the white-haired bartender. 'Guess I really need to go home.' "Keep my tabs, I'll drop by after my next mission, Mira," Gray called out and he started for the door, leaving Cana with her cocked brow and in hypertension. He wasn't really interested with everyone looking at him, and he chose to get out of the building as soon as he can to somehow lessen the building tension when out of the blue, he caught sight of something blue in front of him.

"Juvia?" He blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. Yes he was not mistaken.

Standing in the doorway in front of him was the petite rain woman with her teroterobozu dangling in her neck. She looked somewhat annoyed and Gray noticed for the first time that she had lines on her forehead. He was used with the girl appearing out of the blue and the 'Gray-sama' thing but this time, something for sure is off.

"Gray-sama," she said solidly, making Gray nervous. He knows the implications of her using that tone and it's definitely not good."Is she pissing Gray-sama?" She then threw a dirty look at Cana's direction, and without hesitation, raised her voice. "No one pisses Gray-sama or Juvia will have to teach them a lesson."

Gray face palmed himself and look at the rain woman exasperatedly. "It's not something like that. Just drop it, please."

"If you wish it, Gray-sama," Juvia dreamily said with hearts on her eyes and a blush on her cheeks.

"No one pisses Gray-sama," came Cana's cackling voice. "Really…"

"Cana, drop it," From the counter came Mirajane's voice. Beside her was a very down-hearted Gildarts, helping her wipe the tankards. "Like Gray said, it's not like that."

In the insides, Gray was thanking Mira for helping him, but beside him the rain woman look like she doesn't want to. Stepping forward in front of Gray, Juvia approached the now settled Cana and eyed her sharply.

"What?" Cana smugly said. "I thought I heard Gray-sama said to drop it. Or are you planning on disappointing him?" But Juvia didn't move nor utter any word. Annoyed, Cana called out to Gray. "Hey, your girlfriend's in a coma."

"Quit it," Gray shot back, walking towards the rain woman and trying to drag her out. "Let's get out of here."

"But Gray-sama, that woman pissed you off…" Juvia tried to argue but Gray shot her a 'no' look. He just continued dragging Juvia away from the bikini-clad mage when Cana spoke.

"I didn't piss him off. That guy pissed me off! He keep talking on how I drink where on the other hand he is free to roam 'round the town wearing next to nothing and unperturbed with that 'skinny' stick of his' dangling left to right. Is that fair?"

"WHAT?" chorused the eavesdropping mages. Of course, who would expect to hear such a 'thing' from the mage who seem to only care about Fairy Tail's alcohol supply?

"She said that he's skinny," from the counter corner came Gildart's voice. His lips quivered and he eyed Gray tentively. Slowly he walked to where the ice mage is standing beside the rain woman, shot a glance at his sober daughter and then back to Gray, heaved a deep sigh and said in a serious voice, "So, my Cana said that you're skinny, boy."

"No, it's not…what the hell are you talking about, old man. And' besides…"

"It's okay, it's okay," Gildarts cut him off, patting his back as if to console him. Then he whispered, "Cornelia, her mother said the same thing to me, but she still enjoyed every minute of it. Proof is, we had Cana."

That was the last straw for the ever so cool Gray Fullbuster. "What the fuck are you saying, damn old man?!" And the guild froze with the Salamander still stuck on the ceiling.


	4. Another Mission

Konban wa, minna-sama! Kano-sama here with the fourth chapter of Stripping the Feline. Actually I was thinking if I should really continue working on this one or not. But hell, I just don't have the strength to put a dot in it. So, here I am, posting another crackly idea, but this time, it's…SPOILERS!

I don't know if it's just me or I'm really losing my touch as a freelance writer, so your reviews are pretty much appreciated.

**Disclaimer:** Fairy Tail and all related characters solely belong to Hiro Mashima. Those who thought Fairy Tail belongs to me, well you're all wrong.

**Another Mission**

Dawn had just broken and the air was more than chilly. From high above the stars began hiding their presence as the sun's rays started peeking behind the forest's mountains. Soon, all life forms will again dominate the forest's fields and ranges.

"Hmmp, that's why mornings are the best, I'm all fired up," Natsu exclaimed with such a wide grin. Energetic and lively as he always is, he began stretching to and fro, from below then upwards, fisted his right hand and looking back at his rather sleepy companions, punched his left hand.

"Geez, you're noisy," Gray lamely said, yawning and scratching his cheek.

"Aye," Happy said, hovering beside Gray, just shoulder level from the ground.

"I'm still sleepy," Lucy wailed, absent mindedly skipping the scattered poison ivy. Eyes half open, she turned to the lively dragon slayer and asked abruptly, "Just why can't we wait till mid day? Isn't it just the right time for a departure? I mean," Lucy tried to reason out, though she could clearly tell this conversation isn't going anywhere. "We have plenty of time left, right?" She shifted her gaze to the seemingly uninterested ice mage, mentally asking for help in persuading Natsu, to which she received a scowl.

"Of course we can't do that," Natsu replied. Scanning his surrounding and sniffing to make sure all is clear, he continued, "Can't you be a little excited, Luce? We need to attack before that block head sniffs us. We will catch him off guard…"

Lucy scratched her head in annoyance and settled herself on a rock in a nearby bush. Gray tapped her shoulder a little and she made room for him, taking his winks as a 'just drop it Lucy' message. When it seemed Natsu was already finished with his morning ranting, Gray stood up, brushed his butt and said, "Let's go."

Hearing Gray, Natsu's flame suddenly lit up and threw a sharp look at him. "Are you giving us orders, droopy eyes?"

"What? You got a problem with that, squinty eyes?" Gray shot back, ice automatically forming on his right hand.

_'Here we go again'_ Lucy helplessly thought.

"Hey, Lucy," from behind her called Happy.

"What's wrong Happy?"

"Erza? Where's Erza at the time we needed her most?" the Exceed asked. Apparently, he also knows fire and ice can't sit side by side."

"Erza? Oh about her…"

_Flashback _

_ "You're not serious, aren't you?" Lucy asked, face paled, shaking. Beads of sweat began forming on her brow and she could hear her voice croaked, her lips quivering. _

_ "Yes, I am."_

_ "WHAT!" Lucy screamed, her jaw dropped and her eyes popped out of their sockets, making the other mages spit their drinks. Then she fell to her seat, mouth half opened, and her soul left her._

_ Erza took a bite at her cake, munched a few times and gulped. She then turned to Lucy. "Master has given me a special mission, an S-Class mission, and though as much as I want to come with you. I really can't."_

_ "But…but…" the blonde tried to argue. She just can't imagine a mission without Erza. Well, the 'after effects' should be lessened without a rampaging Erza, plus the reward will only be divided into four person, not the usual five. That, she thought, was really an enticing advantage and she was much more than willing to do it. That was, until it dawned to her just what a mission with Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster without Erza Scarlet will be, and just by imagining the two boys Lucy thought she might lose it._

_ She was half to tears now, begging the Titania to come with her, or if not, if fate and Master Makarov would allow so, let Erza take her to her mission._

_ "Listen Lucy," Erza sternly said, "it will be alright. You're with Natsu and Gray so you don't have to be afraid. Those two will protect you. You'll be fine."_

_ "That is why I'm worried," Lucy exasperatedly said, hitting her face with her marked hand. "That's why I'm worried. It's __**Natsu**__**and Gray**__ we're talking about."_

_End of flashback_

"You must have it hard, Lucy," Happy concluded. Then to Lucy's puzzlement, he bagan rummaging his little bag and a few more seconds, look at her with glinting eyes,

Lucy sweat dropped. '_Now, what?_' she mentally asked herself. She was used to that kind of expressions that she found herself already allergic to it.

"Lucy," Happy began, making her gulp. "You are a good friend Lucy, looking after Natsu and Gray in Erza's absence…"

Lucy's spirit did a back flip."Happy, at least you understand me…eh?" Lucy's brows suddenly twitched. "What's that?"

In front of her Happy was handing her, she thought, must be one of the many fishes stuffed on Happy's bag. "Because Lucy is a good friend, I'll share you my fish. It's delicious…"

'No one really understands me!'She mentally screamed pulling her hair and biting her nails.

"Watch out, Lucy!"

It was merely an inch of a second that Lucy managed to dodged and escape Natsu's flame, with some burnt hair and sleeve. Still shaking from the fear, Lucy sank to her knees, lips quivering.

"Wha…what was that…?" She had hardly finished talking when from her left came Gray's icicles, wheezing past her, with its sharp, pointed tips glinting centimeters away from her eyes. "Idiots! Are you trying to kill me?!" Lucy screamed madly, pointing a shaking finger to Gray and then to the dragon slayer.

"Sorry, Lucy. But I need to show this idiot who he's messing with," Gray coolly said, not removing his gaze on the dragon slayer. "Just stay back."

"That's right," Natsu said, igniting his fists and taking in his fighting stance. "I need to roast Gray's ass."

The sun has now risen and every corner's darkness has vanished, save for the forest whose looming trees had prevented light from penetrating in. Its clearings and surroundings have already signaled the start of a brand new day as all its inhabitants began dominating around. At a certain clearing, the very place travelers and alike are used to walk to enter the forest, bits of stones and burning branches and twigs and frozen pebbles and such were sent flying on every direction as the fight between Natsu and Gray heated up. Both were now shirtless as Gray somehow managed to freeze Natsu's shirt but his scarf, and giving a deadly blow, shattered it much to Natsu's rage.

"Don't you dare turn me to a stripping freak, you damn exhibitionist," Natsu growled, hitting Gray directly in the face with his fire-lit fist.

Gray slammed in the nearby boulder, eventually destroying it.

"Yeah, you got that, droopy eyes!" Natsu exclaimed in his own victory, pumping his fist and grinning from ear to ear.

But no one answered him nor moved. The impact was so strong that it made Natsu thought that Gray must be underneath the ruins of dust and stones and trees. Making out his mind that he would check to see if Gray is still okay and in good fighting condition, he made his way towards the place Gray has slammed moments ago and sniffed in the air around. 'His scent's not in here…'

"I advise you not to let your guard down, flame-brain,"

He just heard him and they fell on him from above, like sharpened rain drops they hit him. Gray was nowhere near nor under the stones; he was above, shooting Natsu with icicles. It was a hit the dragon slayer did not anticipate to happen, and he was barely able to avoid getting hit. Gray, still in mid air, doubled his attacks by concentrating his magic in his hands, forming thousands of frozen needles and much bigger ones.

"Idiot, that's way too big! It's not fair," Natsu growled as he punched a big chunk of ice and made his way out to safety. Then bracing himself, Natsu's flame began engulfing his own body, and Gray's ice, no matter how hard they were, melted on their way to the dragon slayer.

Finally landing on the ground, Gray did not waste a second to prepare for Natsu's incoming attack. 'He's too serious,' he muttered to himself, taking in the Ice Bringer stance.

"You're dead, underwear man," Natsu hissed through gritted teeth.

"I can say the same to you, flame brain…"

"Roar of the fire dragon!"

"Ice Bringer!"

Minutes have passed and Lucy finally opened her eyes to find herself in Loke's arms, his glasses glinting in the sun but wearing a passive face.

"That was dangerous, Princess. You really should stay away from them once they start fighting," the lion spirit sternly said, looking at her intently. Then, before Lucy could utter any word of gratitude, Loke shifted his gaze in front and spoke. "How is it, Aries?"

It was only that time that Lucy noticed the lamb spirit, Aries was standing in front of them, with her giant wool wall shielding them from fire and ice making their way around, and from falling rocks and burning branches. "Just a little longer, Loke, Lucy-sama. I'm sorry."

Lucy wiggled her way out of Loke's arm and look around. Smiling at the timid spirit, she turned to Loke. "What's going on behind this wall?" she asked, tapping the soft, pink wall.

"Fire and ice, Princess," Loke casually replied. Adjusting his glasses with his index, he made his way swiftly passed his owner and beside Aries, sticking his forehead to the wall, he grimly continued, "It was a foolish fight, they were not supposed to go all out, especially in front of you, Princess."

"Go all out…wait, you mean they were serious?"

"Dead serious, Princess," Loke huskily said, giving Lucy some goose bumps to boot. '_Dead_ _serious, just like how I love you_,' he added in his thought.

The stellar mage groaned. She was already welcoming a dozen of idiot-induced headaches and a delayed rent when she remembered the two. "Gray? Natsu? Where are they? Were they hurt?"

"We can't say for now. Aries?"

"Just a little longer, Loke, Lucy-sama. It's still dangerous out of this wall. I'm sorry," Aries replied, eyes focused in strengthening her wall.

"But," Lucy tried to argue but Loke cut her off.

"We understand you, Princess, believe me. But we can't risk you," Loke dismissively said.

Lucy just remained silent for minutes until Aries began deflating her wall. "Please be careful, Lucy-sama. I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Aries," Lucy said, as she quickly made her way to the place where she last saw Natsu and Gray stood. She then began looking for traces the two might happened to leave, and she saw Natsu's scarf underneath a big boulder. Lucy hitched a breath. Eyes brimming with tears, she turned to Loke who followed her silently. With quivering voice, Lucy said, "He…he's alive, right, Loke?" It was all she could say, and though she tried hard not to break, her voice did sound so unconvincing.

Loke gazed at her terrified form and sighed. Then without further ado, as fast as the light that he is, he quickly vanished from Lucy's sight and seconds later Lucy heard a loud explosion, followed by some falling rocks in various sizes that Lucy had to run back beside the lamb spirit under her wool roof. Panting hard, Lucy cried out, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Loke?"

But the lion spirit didn't answer.

"Why is everybody so much a pain?" Lucy asked herself, slapping face.

'Lucy-sama, look," Aries suddenly said, pointing to the ground where Lucy saw the dragon slayer's scarf and where a huge boulder was sitting minutes ago. Where the huge rock was lamely kicked by Loke into bits there was Natsu, sprawled on the ground on his stomach, and Gray was a few meters away from him, pants burned, and as Lucy dashed towards her friends, her fears disappeared immediately as she heard Natsu's loud and Gray's faint snore. '_Really, you guys_,' she thought, wiping her tears.

"So much for worrying about them, Princess," Loke finally said, dusting himself. Then he approached Natsu's sleeping form and crouched beside him and poked his cheek. "He's not hurt, just sleeping. See this, Princess," Loke said, pointing to the dragon slayer's rising and falling of his chest.

Lucy's eyes followed Loke's words and nodded."Thank you, Loke," she said, finally smiling.

Loke smiled for himself and sighed. Then he stood up and approached Gray, followed by Lucy. "Princess, you're not supposed to come here. Go back."

Lucy frowned but stopped. "Why, what happened to Gray…'

"Kyaaa!" From afar Aries screamed, closing her eyes and covering them with her hands, a little blush crept on her cheeks. "I'm sorry!"

Puzzled, Lucy raised a brow and followed the timid lamb's train of gaze. 'Screaming while saying sorry is not cute at all' she thought. Then her gaze started with burnt branches, then frozen rocks, again burnt trees and smoking ice, and then some dust followed by a pair of black dress shoes. 'That's Loke,' she thought, and her eyes went on; pebbles, rocks, ice, a naked body…

"Kyaaa!" came Lucy's deafening scream.

Loke sighed and look at his blushing master helplessly. "I told you so, Princess. You're not supposed to be here," he playfully smirked. Turning his eyes to the ice mage's limp form, Loke removed his coat and covered Gray's body. "And you're not supposed to be this naked."

There you have it, the fourth chapter of Stripping the Feline! Not the LoLu thing you were expecting? Well, my bad. This idea kind of struck me when my sister told me about this two boys around the age of 10 fighting from our window. One of them was naked and a couple of minutes after, a copper-haired girl came, hitting both boys hard in the head. Well, Erza Scarlet has red hair but come on! Who wouldn't be inspired by that?

One more thing is, I don't know when will be the next time I will be updating and posting new stories. By this November I'll be flying to Taoyuan City and I'm not sure if internet connection will be available in the apartment the very day of my arrival. Because of that, I'm now neck to neck on my Mandarin. Who would have thought that I will be studying the language I liked the very least?

I forgot to tell you, I'm accepting request stories, oneshots and multi chaptered. All you need to do is PM me or email me meisa_kano .

Jaa ne.


	5. Who Stole The Mountain, Natsu?

"_Sometimes, being clueless about everything is the weakest alibi."_ **– Edogawa Conan**

**Who Stole the Mountain, Natsu?**

"Mom, when I grow up, I'll be a great mage and I'll definitely join Fairy Tail."

"Now, now, my dear, you shouldn't say such things," the woman in a crimson frilly skirt said, adjusting the little boy's suspenders. "Yes, you will be a great mage. I know you will, my son, but goodness, you should be thinking in joining a guild with good reputation!"

The boy pouted. "But Fairy Tail is full of great mages!" Thinking for a while and counting with his nimble little fingers, he continued, "There's the S-Class Gildarts Clive…"

"I don't want the city being pried open when you come home," his mother snorted.

"The beautiful sister, Miss Mirajane Strauss…"

"My boy, you're only five and you can say that the woman is beautiful?! Good lord, do you even know the meaning of the word?" The mother asked, completely surprised.

"The Titania…"

"She's every woman's disgrace!"

"The sister I met last time, she's also a mage of Fairy Tail," the boy said in a matter of fact tone.

The woman straightened herself up and furrowed her brow, trying to put into mind the visage of the girl his son is trying to tell her. "Hmmm, is she the blonde with the not so decent attire?"

"And with the very big boobies!" the boy exclaimed excitedly, a little trickle of blood oozing from his little nose.

Veins popped in her forehead at the sight of her son's excitement. Simply trying to brush off the words still ringing in her ears, the woman slowly dragged her son in a corner of an alley way, where posters of wanted criminals and mages and latest news are usually posts. Scanning every unhealthy poster, her eyes went on, not even releasing her son in her almost vice grip. Past a couple of posters more and the woman's dainty feet stopped.

"What are we doing in here, mom?" the boy asked, looking around with great puzzlement.

Panting and clutching her heaving chest, she spoke. "This…my boy…is the reason…why you should just join other guild. This is Fairy Tail!" With a shaking finger, she pointed to a rather new but already tattered poster of a dozing dragon slayer, someone naked, a blonde with big boobs, another female with funny horns, and a very handsome man in front of a deserted land, where the rich forest of Magnolia used to be.

"…and they just won't listen to me, and they almost got me killed. Now tell me, how am I supposed to calm down?!"

Levy could only sigh as she watched her friend's fallen face. Though tired as she was from her own team's misadventures, Levy decided she should at least hear Lucy out. Days after they finished their mission and collected their rewards, news of Natsu and Gray's dog fight and how they eventually destroyed and erased the forest from the maps reached them. At first, all three of them laughed at it, taking it as the same old story. But then, as soon as Levy saw Lucy and her spirits within the poster, reality struck her. _Loke was there. That means the fight was really intense for Lucy to call Loke out in the battlefield. And what's with Aries and her wool roof? Her wools are mainly for defense. Well, though Levy wasn't so sure if it was Lucy or Loke just went out in his own accord together with Aries and her defensive wool, the fact that he appeared in the battlefield means Lucy was in danger_.

The petite mage was about to say something when the guild hall suddenly became quite and heavy footsteps graced everyone's attention.

"I'm home."

Every one stiffened as a board after they heard Erza's opening words.

"Where is Master?" again came her steely voice with her second set of few chosen words. But no one moved nor answered her as each of them who received Erza's interrogating looks quickly averted their eyes, knowing what kind of hell the Titania will let loose once she happen to receive a very unsatisfying answer.

Erza glanced around. Nothing's changed, she thought. Although somewhat used to that kind of unwelcoming atmosphere from some terrified mages, she felt really annoyed at that time. Also it didn't help that some of those mages kept throwing and stealing glances at her, but as quick as light turned away when caught.

"I've heard about all of your past activities."

For the second time that morning, the guild went silent like a graveyard in the middle of the night.

"Levy, Jet, Droy," the iron clad maiden called.

"Yes?" chorused the two males, quickly running behind the small mage for cover, making Levy groaned. "Man up, you two, for heaven's sake!"

"Guess that can't be help," Lucy said flatly. "Erza's not Erza for nothing."

"Lu-chan, you're not supposed to say that!" Shifting her gaze to the red haired woman, Levy smiled broadly. "Welcome home, Erza. How was the S-Class mission?"

"Nothing so much to ask. I even don't know why it was considered an S-Class mission in the first place."

"Really?" Lucy piped in. _'I should have insisted on going with her!'_

"I've heard you've just finished your mission, Levy, and I'm glad everyone's alright. But what really caught my attention and what made me finished the job in no time was the news of a certain mountain vanishing in the map of Fiore."

Lucy froze, beads of sweat started dripping from her head, comically bathing her. Then all her body hairs stood to their tips and her teeth chattered when she felt Erza's menacing aura behind her. "Ye…yes?" she squeaked, closing her eyes.

She was expecting a hellish roar and she was full ready to take whatever blow might come when Erza quietly pulled a stool and settled herself beside her, surprising her.

Cracking one eye open to make sure she wasn't mistaken, Lucy studied Erza's face questioningly. "You…you're not angry?" she uncertainly asked.

"Of course I am. But,"

"But what?" Lucy asked, crossing her fingers, hoping she will be spared.

"I can't put all the blame on you," Erza said. "It was more my fault leaving them alone with you."

"Erza!" Tears brimming, Lucy was relieved knowing that Erza understood her situation and that she was at no fault. Forcing a smile, Lucy said, "Thank you."

"Isn't it good, Lu-chan," Levy remarked, smiling together with Jet and Droy still behind her, nodding vigoriously.

Nodding, the celestial mage wiped her tears and smiled brightly. "Now, I feel a lot better."

"More importantly, where is Natsu and Gray? Aren't they here with you, Lucy?" Erza asked, looking around and upon catching sight of the white haired mage, asked for a drink. Then she looked expectantly at the celestial mage, seemingly waiting for an answer regarding the whereabouts of the two mages.

"Master locked them at the basement and ordered us not to let them out. They're to clean the whole area till sunset." Lucy explained nervously. "Well, I was really surprised that I was spared."

"Master said with two months worth of late rent, you have more than enough running in your mind to be punished." Every one turned their head at the direction of the familiar voice. "Welcome back, Erza."

"Argh!" Lucy groaned, her bright face once again dimmed. "Two months of rent…what do I do now?"

" Here," Mirajane sweetly said, placing Erza's drink in the table.

"Thank you. But just cleaning the basement won't work." Quickly downing her drink, she stood up and walked briskly, passing by the Raijinshu in their usual corner in between the request board and the stair leading to the basement.

"Oh, look at that! Having problems with your team?" Evergreen sneered, sipping her tea beside Bixlow.

"They're the talk of the town. And master's not too happy about it," Bixlow said, with his babies echoing his words.

"No, it's just a leader's responsibility," Erza retorted, stressing the word 'leader', making Evergreen's brow twitched.

She was about to say something when from up above the second floor where S-Class requests are posts came Laxus' bored voice. "How long are you gonna stand there, Titania? Those pests are too loud I can't sleep."

"My apologies. I'll make it a point that both of them learn their lessons the fastest way." With that, Erza made her way to the stair leading down the basement where a couple of minutes after they heard a loud crash followed by an explosion and Natsu and Gray finally went silent.

"Too loud. Too fucking loud," Laxus said, staring at the very door the Titania had walked in, and with a flash of his thunder, Laxus vanished, planning to go to some quieter place to sleep.

"Damn that Erza! Someday, I'll pay her for this…ouch!"

It was another quiet day for Fairy Tail and everyone not doing any job and who were supposed to be in their usual spot was watching in awe as the pink haired dragon slayer rubbed his swollen butt with his bandaged left hand. His whole body was badly beaten, and every one present on the day the Titania let hell loose on Fairy Tail were too terrified to speak. Still, some admired the stupid dragon slayer for having the guts to speak ill about Erza even after being beaten to a pulp in no less that 30 seconds.

"You should be thankful you're still alive," Macao said, sitting in front of the bar.

"But hell, that was one kind of a job! I mean, you haven't even started for the job and look what happened."

"What happened?" Natsu innocently asked, making some older mages shook their heads in disbelief.

"Didn't you know?" Alzack asked from a corner, sitting beside his wife Bisca while cuddling their daughter.

The dragon slayer shook his head. "What happened?"

"Natsu," Bisca said, with the tone Alzack could define the kind teachers use when lecturing about hamsters and bunnies. "It was…"

"Uncle Natsu and Uncle Gray, mountain boom!" Asuka said with a giggle. "Great fireworks!"

"No, Asuka. It wasn't fireworks. It's Uncle Natsu," Bisca gently explained.

"And the snow? It was beautiful, like a dreamland!"

"That was Uncle Gray's magic," this time it was Alzack who spoke.

"I can't understand the baby!" Natsu wailed, pulling his hair.

"What Asuka means is you and Gray accidentally obliterated the forest and the mountain."

"Oval…rated…" Natsu planted mushroom in his head.

"Just how stupid can you get!" Max said exasperatedly. "It means that the forest and the great mountain is now gone, missing."

Forgetting all about his aching body, Natsu's fists and eyes lit up. "I'll kick the ass of the one who stole…"

"So you really don't understand anything at all, Natsu, so it seems." Appearing out of nowhere, Erza darkly said, her sword a mere centimeters away from Natsu's throat. On impulse, everyone backed away, leaving the pissed Titania and Natsu whose face already went white.

"I didn't do anything…"he said, much more, squeaked.

Erza eyed him fiercely. "Then let me make it clear for you. You and Gray together with Lucy and Happy went on a mission, and before starting the job, you and Gray went against each other. Much worse is, both of you went all out, destroying the forest and eventually erasing it, even the mountain in the maps of Fiore."

"It wasn't my fault. That stripping freak started it! It was only natural for me to defend myself," Natsu snapped, his nose flaring in anger and frustration. "Speaking of it, where'd that freak went? I'm not done with him yet!"

"Natsu-nii, I wonder where did Happy go." Sitting beside him Romeo asked, looking amused at his beaten form.

"That Happy," Natsu growled. 'I won't forgive him for abandoning a friend…ouch!"

"Stop moving Natsu-nii," Romeo said, trying to restrain the swollen dragon slayer. "Maybe, he's still like you, I mean, Loke said there was a loud explosion and everything went crazy."

Natsu stilled for a moment before looking at Romeo straight in the eye, making the poor boy gulped. Then to his surprised, Natsu smiled and while scratching the back of his head, said, "Oh really? Then maybe he's already at our house. Okay, I was worrying too much about Happy it made me really hungry."

From the bar Mirajane was only smiling while listening to their conversation when a pair of glinting shades caught her attention.

"Oh, Loke. Good day, but I'm afraid Lucy's not here."

Loke smiled. "Good morning, Mira. Yeah, she's still in the shower, and it was pink this time," he mischievously said with his feral grin.

"Oh, you silly, Loke. So what can I do for you? I'm sure you're not here for some lemons?"

Plopping himself comfortable in a stool in front of the Take Over mage, Loke looked around and sighed. _'Atleast he's not in here.'_

"You said something?" Mirajane asked.

"Oh, nothing, just talking to myself," Loke said, resting his face in his palm on top of the table. "I really wonder how Natsu can keep up after getting beaten by Erza," he said, looking at the direction of the dragon slayer. "Well, had Aries and I never made it in time, even Lucy will be in a dress of frilly bandages today. What's that?"

"My treat for saving all three of them," Mirajane said, smiling while handing him a glass with a faint green colored content. "No catnip added," she quickly said when she noticed Loke's hesitant look.

"Thanks," Loke muttered. He was about to sip the drink when he noticed Mirajane staring intently at him. "What? Finally can't turn your eyes off of me?"

"Nope," Mirajane eagerly replied. "But Happy told me something," she said, eyes glinting maliciously, making the lion spirit nervous. "So," leaning in the counter top toward the celestial spirit, Mirajane whispered, "tomorrow, at three o'clock down town, beside the classy restaurant a few blocks away from the port."

"Are…are you asking for a date, Mira? I'll be delighted…"

"No. It's not a date, Loke," she said, making the spirit scowl. Then, intentionally emitting her menacing aura just for Loke, who sweat dropped at the feeling of it, the Take Over mage continued, "Be there, or you're dead."

Hmmm…is that a date with Mirajane?

Really wanna thank everyone for supporting Stripping the Feline, and also Maid In Red. I thought it was cute but I was really surprised by your reactions that I had to read it again and again to see what really hit you in that story.

Someone asked me 'Why is Stripping the Feline' taking too long in hitting the bucket?' My answer is I intended to make Stripping the Feline not just a Lolu love thing, but a real Fairy Tail. I mean, we all know how stories on Fairy Tail goes on, right? Even though centered on a certain arc, the other or supporting characters are not left out. They still have their stories to tell, and that's what's happening in STF (Stripping the Feline). Also, their stories are necessities for our favorite lion to make his decision. Hmm, what's that? Is that a spoiler?

Again, my apologies for the slow updates. If I could only have Virgo's key and summon her to help me in packing up! Also hindering me in writing is my Mandarin, and I'm not having any progress, that I can clearly tell. Winter's not helping either, and I can't really get up early no matter how loud my phone went. Guess you can't really force someone to work while hibernating, eh?

Still, I'm not that perfect a freelance writer and your reviews, comments and violent reactions are all welcome. Also, sorry for telling you a big fat lie. The truth is my mom's not a Mafioso, so flamers, welcome to my world.

Thank you for sticking up with STF! Hope to be with you guys till the time the lion strips and bare his chest!

Jaa ne.


	6. A Day With His Master

Disclaimer: Someone asked me what a disclaimer in Japanese look like, so "Fairy Tail to subete no kankei ga aru mono wa Mashima Hiro-san no mono da. Ijou desu.

_ "Finding the loving, committed relationship you want shouldn't mean throwing away your hopes, your integrity, or your heart." _– **Joshua Harris, Boy Meets Girl**

**A Day with His Master**

"You've got a date?"

"Well, yeah, but that's not what it is, Lucy."

Eyes still glued on her manuscript, Lucy scratched her head, as if trying to squeeze more ideas out of her mind. For minutes, they remained quiet, with just the noise from Lucy's furious scribbling and frequent sighs, then followed by some scratching and crumpling of papers that soon found their way inside her little trash bin. Loke smiled, amused by the different faces his master was making in the process. "If you don't want, I wouldn't mind spending the whole day with you."

"It's too early to flirt, Loke," Lucy flatly said, brow wrinkled as she reread her story. Then dipping her quill in the ink, she looked at her handsome spirit straight in the eye. "And who's the poor girl this time?"

Loke laughed, making his master scowl. Standing up from her mattress and making his way to the window, Loke looked back at Lucy, now back at her scribbling. "Why should the girl be sorry if she's to date me?"

"Because you're a flirt," Lucy quickly replied.

Loke smiled to himself, bitterly, which didn't get passed Lucy. Realizing that she somehow offended him, she quickly withdrew herself from her desk and approached Loke beside the window. "I didn't mean it that way, sorry."

Looking at the darkening sky, Loke sighed and muttered to himself, "And I thought you'll get jealous, Princess,"

"And why should I get jealous?" she asked, crossing her arms in her chest.

"Because I love you, Princess," Loke seriously said, looking at her intimately, making Lucy blush. "See, you're blushing.'

Mentally scolding herself for falling again for Loke's cheesy lines, Lucy composed herself and cocked a brow at the now smiling from ear to ear lion spirit. "Okay, that line will surely put you home base tomorrow on your date."

_Strike one_.

"Why can't you believe me, Lucy?" Loke asked, his smile now has disappeared and was replaced with a much confused one. "I've only got eyes for you,"

"Of course I do believe you," she paused a while, looked outside the window, and a sly idea hit her mind. Looking back at Loke, this time with her sweet smile plastered upon her face, Lucy continued, "Of course I do believe you Loke, but…but there's a very beautiful lady clad in a pink bikini outside,"

Upon hearing Lucy's words, on instincts, Loke's head shot out of the window, looking from left to right, up and down, searching for the lady Lucy saw. "Where is she…where is…"

"I've only got eyes for you," from behind him, Lucy playfully imitated Loke's voice, making him froze inside.

_Strike two._

Laughing at how foolish he was, Loke, smiled at the now fuming in irritation Lucy, now clutching the lion spirit's key, ready to send him back in the astral plane. "You got me there, Princess."

Ignoring his question and pocketing his key, Lucy sat again at her abandoned desk, now ready to pour her thought into writing again. Dipping her quill, she shot Loke a timid look and asked, "Who's your date again?"

"Just a random girl," Loke answered, plopping himself on her mattress. Then as he closed his eyes, Mirajane's creepy smile appeared, and Loke scoffed. "Let me take that one back, Lucy," Loke said, catching the mage's attention. Making sure Lucy was listening to him, Loke plowed on, "She's not just a random girl, and I'd say no one can call her random."

"Do I know her?" Lucy asked, scrapping yet another paper and starting out on a new one again.

"Yeah," Loke dreamily said, looking at his master's silhouette. Unconsciously, he began imagining Lucy in different suits and angles, most of them enough to put a tint of pink in his cheeks. His thoughts were all focused on his master's beautiful body that he didn't noticed he was already sporting a very perverted grin and that Lucy was already standing in front of him, with her veins all ready to pop within a second.

"Loke, stop looking at me like that!"

It was those words that pull Loke back from Lala-Land. A little embarrassed that Lucy had to see the prideful lion spirit in such a state, he quickly straightened himself and coughed slightly. "Uh, Lucy, I, I didn't mean to, no, what I mean to say is I'm not thinking things like that…"

Lucy suppressed a laugh. '_Really? The proud Loke is stuttering in front of a lady?'_ Still a little unconvinced though, Lucy decided to let the matter slipped. Convincing herself that a little shower would do the trick in refreshing her mind, she started for her closet, leaving a very embarrassed Loke behind.

'_Really, what does he think he's doing?_' Lucy thought as she began rummaging in. A few seconds passed and finally Lucy pulled out a pink tank top she decided she would pair with a blue frilly skirt she had bought during her previous mission with Team Natsu, the other one before her mission without Erza and with the two boys alone. Humming to herself, she pulled open her inside drawer where she kept all her underwear neatly. '_Hmm, today will be…'_

"That one will look good on you today, Princess,"

"Black? You really think so, Lo…Loke!"

A silly grin was now plastered in his handsome face, and Loke was proud of himself for sneaking behind Lucy without being detected. Ignoring Lucy's flushed face and reactions, he ran his fingers through the soft fibers and without further ado, pulled a pair of black skimpy underwear, much to Lucy's shock.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING LOKE?!" Lucy roared, quickly snatching her underwear from Loke.

"Just helping you pick what to wear," he casually replied, although he couldn't masked his growing amusement on his master's behavior.

"I don't need your help, thank you," Lucy snapped back, slamming her drawer shut. "And besides, shouldn't you be getting ready for your date? You said your date isn't just some random girl, so you should be thinking on how to please her. Oh, I forgot, "Lucy added, "You're Loke, so there's no need for that."

Smiling broadly that Lucy already know him that well, Loke reached for her towel and handed it to her, earning himself a silent 'thank you' from his master. Then he made his way to the bathroom's entrance, and like the gentleman that he is, opened the door for Lucy, who remained standing in front of her closet, mouth gaped. As though being able to read Lucy's mind, Loke chuckled. "Dear Princess, I'm not going to do anything that'll upset you," he smoothly said, motioning Lucy to enter the bathroom.

"No," Lucy spat. "You go back first and I'll take a shower."

"You know Force Gate Closure don't work on me. I can always summon myself whenever I want, wherever I want."

"And you're too proud about it," Lucy grimaced.

"Don't you trust me, Princess? After all, I'm your knight in shining armor…"

"No," Lucy repeated, hands now on her hips. "You're not a knight, you're a pervert."

"You're too cold today, Lucy. I just want to spend some time with you. You've been calling the rest much frequently but me," Loke whined.

A pang of guilt shot Lucy. Yes, she have been calling out every spirit she have not less that thrice the past few days, but she had forgotten all about Loke. "Look, Loke," Lucy tried to explain, flailing her hands. "It's not that I don't want to call you out or something. It's just like you said, that you can always summon yourself every time you want."

"But that doesn't change the fact that you didn't call me even once," Loke pouted.

She was now ready to welcome a headache just by looking at her handsome lion spirit throwing a tantrum. Resigning to herself that she had to let Loke have his fill that day, Lucy sighed. "No silly games?"

"Promise I won't peek," Loke insisted, raising his right hand and making an oath with his silly grin. "I'll be you're guard. Who knows, Team Natsu might suddenly show up."

With that, Lucy's resolve melted away. Though skeptical at first, she knew her spirit really had a point, and that the last thing she needed beside her whining, over-sized feline spirit was two hot headed mages wrecking havoc in her apartment. Looking suspiciously at Loke for some sign of perverseness, Lucy groaned, making Loke rejoice within. '_Guess I really don't have a choice.' _"Okay, I get it," Lucy exasperatedly said, walking past Loke and stopping in front of the bathroom. "First thing first. You'll stay sitting in the sofa and in no condition are you to go near the bathroom while I'm still inside, understand?"

Loke nodded sheepishly. "I understand, but I can't promise that I won't go near this door," Loke said, tapping the door frame above Lucy, "when my master's in a pinch."

"I wonder what kind of trouble I can get myself into while inside the bathroom taking a shower," Lucy sarcastically said, throwing Loke a sharp look, which the lion spirit dismissed as he made his way towards Lucy's sitting room and plopped himself comfortable in her sofa. Though Loke was a couple of meters away from her, Lucy waited patiently, wanting to see what the silly lion has in mind. Seeing his relaxed form and the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest, Lucy withdrew inside the bathroom and started stripping her clothes. One by one her clothes fell of her creamy skin, down to the tiled floor until she was naked all over. Turning the water on and adjusting it to her desired temperature, she unconsciously began humming to herself a rather old tune her late mother used to sing when setting her off to sleep. After a few minutes of waiting for the water temperature to set in, she walked under the shower and let herself get lost in the warmth of it.

"Lucy,"

"Loke!" Lucy almost screamed, quickly snatching her towel from the hamper and wrapping it tightly around her. Spinning for the door, she quickly bolted it locked.

"I'm not peeking," from outside came Loke's voice.

"Where are you? I remember I told you to stay in the sofa," Lucy shot, as she saw Loke's form moved from the glass door.

"Sorry for disturbing you Princess, but don't worry. It's just that I feel more comfortable near you."

_'Loke.' "_Is something bothering you?" Lucy asked, voice full of concern. It was just now that she realized that there was some uneasiness in Loke's words. Hands still clutched in the door lock, Lucy waited for Loke's reply, but no words came back. "Loke?" Then she heard a sigh. Lucy looked carefully at Loke's blurred shadow on the door, and saw that Loke had slid himself lazily down the floor. "Loke?" again Lucy called.

Sitting quietly on the floor with his back on the bathroom door, Loke closed his eyes and smile. "Can I ask you something, Princess?"

"What is it? If you're going to ask me to let you in, then forget it, Loke," Lucy snapped, her hands tightly squeezing the door knob.

"I wasn't thinking about that, really," from outside she heard him, followed by his crisp chuckle that made her heart raced. Feeling the sudden change of her heart beat, Lucy turned around and leaned on the glass door. Trying to hide her embarrassment, Lucy shot back. "Can't it wait till I'm through?"

There was silence, followed by some noise, and then Loke answered. "I think this is the best opportunity to talk about it, Lucy, but if you don't want to, then I understand."

"Okay, but no weird stuffs, understand?"

"Promise," Loke happily said. Then he heaved a deep sigh and started. "It's about someone…"

"A girl, right?" Lucy cut.

"No, well, yes, and no, Lucy," Loke groaned. "At least let me finish!" It was followed by his master's laughter and a couple of 'sorry, sorry Loke,". Ignoring his master's words, Loke huffed. He was lucky enough that his master wasn't able to see his current condition, and a very confused Loke is just a sight to see! Slowly picking his words so that Lucy will understand him without having to repeat himself, Loke closed his eyes and pulled his soft mane. Really, he was having so much difficulty expressing himself, and he wasn't even in front of a girl. He is the proud lion spirit, and the humiliation he was causing to himself was just unbearable, so he thought, but all along it was driving him crazy, and he feared that as long as he keep it bottled inside of him, he will soon explode.

"I'm listening, Loke, go on," Lucy said after a minute of silence. "If you don't tell me, then nothing will happen, right?"

That was all it took for Loke to gather all his strength and courage to face his dilemma. "Well, actually, it's about someone I know, and I think your point of view about the matter is really important," Loke started, fiddling the hem of his jacket.

"What about that someone?" came Lucy's voice.

"Well," smiling bitterly, he poured on. "This guy's confused about something, and even I don't know what to say to him," Loke said, occasionally biting his lower lip. "He said he likes a certain girl, well, not just a random girl, but a very special one."

"Like the one you're meeting tomorrow?" Lucy asked, settling herself down, and pulling her knees to her chest.

Loke smirked. "So sharp, Princess. Well, yes, like my date tomorrow. But the problem is he doesn't know how to deal with his feelings for her," Loke sadly said, looking carefully at his palms as though the answer to his problem might suddenly pop out of them.

"Did he already confess to the girl?" Lucy asked, playing with her scented soap and blowing bubbles out of her hand.

"A lot of time, yes he already did," the lion spirit replied, mentally playing into his mind the many times he had confessed his feelings to his blonde master, but unfortunately, all went haywire. "He tried many times."

Several minutes that seemed like eternity passed before Lucy spoke. "What happened?"

"I don't know. He wasn't accepted but he wasn't dumped either," Loke answered as a matter of factly. And that was the truth. He never really know. He confessed, wasn't accepted, but wasn't rejected. It was like he was hanging by the moment, waiting for the right time he will finally get a proper answer.

"What kind of thing is that?" Lucy asked, her forehead now forming two straight lines. What kind of answer is that, she thought to herself. "I don't know, Loke but, did he stop after that? I mean, did he stop pursuing the girl he likes?"

"Nope, Princess. He's still working on it. But recently, things just got a little difficult for him."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, now getting absorbed by Loke's friend's story. It struck her that the story Loke was telling her that time was a little 'spicy' and that if fate would allow it, she wanted to use that story in her next novel. Keeping herself too quiet to hear every little detail Loke was to tell her, she readied her index finger to write on the blurred glass door important details of the story.

"He's confused," Loke abruptly said. "All thanks to a friend of his',"

Writing furiously on the wall, Lucy egged him to continue, now trapped in her world of love affair themes.

"You see, " Loke began, his face dimming as he tried to detailed to Lucy what the problem is. "My friend almost did everything to win the girl he like, but him," he paused and clenched his jaw as an image of a shirtless mage, smirking and giving him the thumbs up sign appeared in his mind. He unconsciously flexed his hands, making the celestial mage inside the bathroom snapped out of her reverie.

"Loke, are you alright?" She then mentally scolded herself for thinking of petty things while Loke was bathing with worry for his friend. Sighing, Lucy started thinking what kind of guy is Loke's friend. And the friend's friend, just what kind of people are they and when did Loke met them? She did have the impression that most of Loke's friends would be females, but for Loke to worry about his friend's love life? Strange, Lucy thought.

"I'm fine," from the outside she heard Loke. "You see, Princess, where as my friend did everything for the girl he likes, his friend did the opposite,"

"He did the opposite…don't tell me,"

"That's right," Loke merrily answered, making Lucy scowl. "His friend was a dead zone for the girls, and though he's like that, women are head over heels for him. I mean, did he really deserve that shower of affections? He's not a gentleman to begin with. And because of that, my friend's beginning to hate his self for being such a crap."

"Hmmm," was all Lucy could say at that moment. Resting her chin on her knees, she began thinking about everything Loke had told her, only to end up sighing in disbelief. Huffing one last time, she threw Loke a question.

"What do you want to know, Loke?'

Smiling bitterly that the conclusion of their small heart to spirit conversation has come, Loke adjusted his glasses and asked, "My friend," he started, voice quivering, "must he change for other people to accept him?" With those words now out of his lips, Loke felt an ounce of his burden was lifted, only to be replaced by uneasiness. What might be Lucy's answer, that he doesn't know, and he wasn't expecting Lucy to give him a proper answer at the minute when he heard her.

"Loke, I'm glad that aside from us your Fairy Tail family, you have other friends. I understand how you feel, getting worried for them, and it's beautiful. Although I don't understand why can't you solve his problem on your own, when you're a lady killer to start with?" Lucy snorted, making Loke blush, and he was thankful Lucy can't see him. "Tell him don't change, Loke," this time she caught Loke's full attention, "don't change until the very day other people learned to love and accept him. Tell him not to lose his heart, his personality that makes him the person you've known. Tell him to love himself even more, and hope that one day, with a triumphant smile on his face, he can show the world that he can love his own self that he used to hate."

"Lucy…"

Standing and securing her towel, Lucy smiled broadly, though the lion spirit couldn't see it. Then she added, "Tell your friend that I like to hear from him one day."

Satisfied and smiling broadly, he inhaled deeply and composed himself. He was feeling very light headed that time, all thanks to his master for listening. Without further ado, he quickly got up on his feet and faced the door. Though he could only make his master's silhouette from the smoke, Loke grinned. "Thank you Princess." With that, he finally returned to the astral plane.

Inside the bathroom, where the smoke was starting to get thick, a naked Lucy settled herself in the tub, unceremoniously scrubbing her arms. 'That Loke! To think that he'd used a third person to tell his own story! And he had the guts to ask me for advice?! He didn't even tell me who his date is! Argh!' Finally getting tired in her scrubbing, she let her arm sank in the water and with the other, reached for her skirt, pulling from the inside of her pocket a gold key. Looking at it closely, her heart skipped a beat and she smiled. 'Just what do you think you're doing, my lion?'

For all the Lolu fans out there, this is it. This chapter is dedicated to all Lolu fanatics who can't get enough of their playful antics and crazy relationship. Well, this is just a little snip of the kind of relationship they have on STF so for those confused, this is Stripping the Feline by Kano-sama, not Fairy Tail of Hiro Mashima, and for those sticking on with the story and waiting for the fluffs, this is just a preview.

Read and review, guys.

I've updated again, this time two chapters in a week! Yay! The truth is, I wanted to post as many chapters that I can without compromising the story, and because I don't know when I will be updating next. I've told you before right, I'm going to Taoyuan County (yes, it's County, C-O-U-N-T-Y! ) and I'm afraid I have to apply for an internet connection myself! Good luck on my Mandarin.

Next chapter will be the much awaited 'The Date with the Demon.' Ciao!


	7. The Date With The Demon

**The Date with the Demon**

"I'm happy that you'll be able to come with me. It'll be a great help." And with that said, the mage was left all alone to herself. Sighing in tune with her shoulders dropping, the mage looked around and seeing that the person she was looking for had already gone, she decided that she too will be heading home. Quietly getting up from her seat in the corner, she slowly made her way passed several mages still on the process of their merry making, and quietly slipped out of the door.

"Juvia is tired," the mage sighed. Then adjusting her cardigan and hat a little bit, her dainty feet started making their way down the cobbled stone road. Before turning on an alley way, the mage looked back at the lively building. "Love rival," Juvia muttered to herself, and she was swallowed by the darkness of the night.

"Hmmm, this is getting pretty exciting, don't you think?" Mirajane mused, leaning on the window sill from the second floor of Fairy Tail building.

"Aye," Happy agreed, perched beside her, fish in his paws. "But…"

"It will be okay," the white haired mage said, patting the Exceed on the head, smiling reassuringly.

"Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"Don't worry, big sister, just leave everything to me," Lisanna bubbly said, pumping her fist in the air. 'Right?"

"What's right?!" a fuming Natsu roared. "Everything's not right! Especially this," he hotly said, pulling at the pink, frilly apron with a big, blue heart-shaped face of a dragon. "This is disgusting. And why the hell is it pink?"

"It's not disgusting Natsu. It's cute!" Lisanna giggled, making Natsu's veins popped.

"STOP MESSING WITH M...!"

A few seconds later and the poor dragon slayer had two identical bumps on his head.

"See, Natsu is here to help me, big sister. Big brother Elfman is here too,"

"MAN!" from somewhere roared Elfman. 'Nice timing, brother.'

"See?" Lisanna told her sister, as if desperately convincing her that everything will be fine in her absence. "Also," the youngest Strauss added, "Gray is also helping, for free," pointing to the direction of a shirtless waiter, serving Laki her drink. "Isn't he truly an asset?" Lisanna breathlessly said, eyes twinkling at the sight of Gray. '_Nice body.'_

Mirajane nodded. There was no doubt Gray is really an advantage, not to mention his stripping habit is unique, she thought as she watched the Ice mage talking animatedly to the Wood mage. Then, she smirked when she caught Laki stole a glance on Gray's six packs, even adjusting her glasses to look carefully at his ass. '_Closet pervert.' _Then turningfor the door, Mirajane stole one more glance at the lively hall and waved at her little sister. "I'll see you soon," and then she was gone_._

"Wait a minute, Lisanna, why should I be wearing this stupid thing? Just give it to Gray, he doesn't have a shirt to begin with," Natsu insisted, seemingly the pain in his head gone.

"Natsu, I already told you…"

"What? You got a problem with that, flame brain? And besides, it suits you,"

"Gray," Lisanna whined, hurriedly restraining Natsu as his fist ignited. "Stop provoking Natsu…"

"Damn you, Gray," Natsu hissed vehemently.

Another couple of minutes passed and Natsu once again was sporting another set of red bumps.

"Stupid," Gray muttered to himself, walking away with his serving tray.

"Hey, waiter,"

'_Oh, someone's calling me. Better make myself be of use or else._' Making his way past several messed up tables and chairs, Gray froze as he found himself standing face to face in front of a wickedly smiling Cana. "Hey, waiter,"

"What now?" Gray steadily said.

"My tankard's empty," Cana maliciously said, playing with the tankard's lips with her pinky.

Gray's jaw clenched. '_Really she's pissing me off!_' Then realizing that the youngest Strauss was watching him expectantly with twinkling eyes, Gray groaned inwardly and shot Cana a distasteful look. "I'll get you a new one." Then he walked briskly, trying as fast as he could to finish his unfriendly conversation with the Card Magic user when he heard something fell. Turning his head, the ice within him finally flared as he saw Cana's empty tankard lying on the floor, with a snicker plastered on her face.

"Oops, it fell, sorry,"

"Hey…"

Ten minutes. She has been standing there for ten minutes, and as time passed by, she became more and more restless. Occasionally biting her lower lip, she would turn her head, looked at her left, then at her right with her teroterobouzu dangling on her neck. Scanning everyone passing in front of the place of their rendezvous, and not knowing a single one of them, she started making faces in her annoyance, faces that didn't get unnoticed by the people who cared enough to throw her a curious look. It was a fine afternoon, and only a few set of fluffy clouds were painted in the bright canvass of the sky. It was a fine, warm day, and there she was, standing primly in her cardigan and top hat and all.

"Juvia..?"

The timid mage looked up and saw Loke, dressed in a plain green tee with the sign of the lion in its left, lower portion, paired with his white cargo pants. Smiling brightly like the sun, just like showcasing his sharp set of teeth, the lion spirit looked around, then went past her to the window and peeked inside. "I don't see him," Loke flatly said.

"Him?" Juvia frowned a bit.

"Yeah, him," he said, looking back at the quiet mage.

The rain woman thought for a moment, and it was not long that a blush suddenly appeared in her cheeks. Cupping them, she began giggling and saying incoherent words, much to Loke's amusement. "Yo…you…you mean G…Gra…Gray-sama,"

The lion spirit shook his head, laughing silently at the woman's actions. "You're pretty obvious."

Still red in the face, Juvia composed herself and looked directly at him. "Gray-sama is not here. Juvia is here to meet someone."

"Meet someone?" Loke repeated her. "Wow, that's rare of you."

"And natural for you," Juvia dead panned, making him chuckle. "Mirajane asked Juvia to come here, and Juvia is now waiting for her. What is it?" Juvia asked as she saw the lion spirit's jaw dropped.

"Did she…did she set us up?" Loke hoarsely asked, his mind going blank. Although Juvia sure has the quality to boot, it just plainly didn't crossed his mind that one day he will get paired with the woman who was so into the very man he was so envious of. Not even in his dreams, if he ever had one.

"Hmm…that's a lovely idea you got there, Loke."

"Here."

It was rather an annoyed throw followed by his careless handing of the beer that resulted, once again in another messed-up table. From the bar, Gray sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time. "He's really having It rough."

"No, I think he's enjoying every second of it," Lisanna answered, hands occupied with jugs of beer.

"He's enjoying it?" Gray repeated questioningly, and unknowingly cocking his brow, he snickered, "From the looks of it, it's like he's ready to kill someone."

"Well, you're wrong," she dismissively said. "Natsu's a lovable creature. Now," then she pushed the beers towards him, "For Alzack and Bisca. Thanks." And then she was gone in a flash, leaving a very confused Gray.

"Lovable creature?"

"Coming through, coming through…"

"Oh, just get the hell out of here, old man! We're bus…look how he licked his spoon…oh, my god, did he just winked at me…kyahhhh!"

'My, my, you're sly, Loke."

Loke smoothly replied,"I'm just making them happy."

"Right," Mirajane flatly replied. Hands busy twirling her lemonade straw, she glanced at her right, looking at a very quiet Juvia. "You seemed off. What are you thinking at?'

Juvia blankly stared at her. She was sitting primly, hats and all, her dainty fingers fiddling at her dangling teroterobouzu. Just a short look and one could easily say that she was struggling for words evident with the many faces she was making, even making Loke look at her for a period of time, making his fan girls watching at bay scowl and throw Juvia sharp glares. Then an idea hit him. Without ado, Loke reached out and tilted Juvia's chin, and forced her to look him in the eye and suavely said, "You're very alluring today. Why don't you and I…"

"Loke!" Mirajane interjected, though not as surprised as the water mage who had slapped his hand with a funny blush. "Stop hitting on every girl in front of you," Mirajane added, then, glancing at the gless window beside them, she said, "and will you please make them go away? We're supposed to be talking in private and they're not making Juvia feel better."Juvia's not affected by them, forJuvia have only eyes for Gray-sama."

Taking in those words as a signal to start what she was brewing, Mirajane smiled at her. "Yes, and Gray wanted you to assist us. He said you'll be a great help, right Loke…Loke?"

Finding his seat empty, Mirajane, knowing they're on a public place, restrained herself from releasing her demonic aura and instead called out to him. "Loke dear, come here."

Even with his instincts kicking in to continue flirting with the ogling ladies by the window, Loke, though as proud as he could be, wasn't an idiot enough not to notice one of Fairy Tail's strongest mage's demonic rage struggling to get unleash behind an angelic smile. And for once in his dear nine lives, he denied his instincts and decided to save his life by quickly apologizing to the group of disappointed young ladies, also making Mirajane smile as she heard him tell them that he will make up to them the next time they meet. Really, he is the man!

"No…I…I mean…" Juvia stuttered, hands in her face, trying desperately to hide her growing embarrassment.

"it's alright," Mirajane piped in. "Actually, were here to talk about Gray-sama."

It was a very busy afternoon at the port of Magnolia as fishermen hauled their catch of the day. Fishes and all kinds of aquatic entities known and unknown to men, exceeds, and even, just maybe, to Aquarius herself, just like Loke had thought foolishly, were present that very day as porters, traders and all alike were too busy, drowned in their lively dealings. It was a very busy day, and all were quite aghast as they heard from the little, cozy restaurant a horrifying duet of 'what.'

It was a sudden, synchronizde reaction coming from Juvia, who was surprised and pleased that for once since she joined the guild, she will be able to talk freely about her Gray-sama; and of annoyance and displeasure from Loke, who seemed not so keen talking about men. Hell, he even can't see the reason why of all human alive, it has to be him. Him!

"You're kidding me," Loke flatly said, making Juvia threw him glares of daggers.

"Hmmm," Mirajane started, her amusement heightening as she watched Juvia's eagerness and irritation towards the lion spirit. "Juvia, can I ask you something about Gray?"

The water mage, hearing the name of the love of her life, quickly stared at her, as though she was a specie of something man is still uncertain of.

'_Here she goes again_,' Loke thought. _'Here she goes again with the thing called…_'

"Love rival."

It was a very busy day, and Loke wished that any minute now, his beloved master would summon him to fight some dark mages, or ask him to assist her in her shopping. For the first time, Loke hated girls.

Everyone, I'm back with the the 7th chapter of our beloved Stripping the Feline! Really, I am deeply sorry for not updating for how many days…almost one month! But don't worry. Starting today, I'll be keeping you guys updated, so rest assured that you won't be left hanging by the bushes. Also, thanks for the reviews and comments! I really appreciated them, very much!

Whew! A few weeks to go and it will be New Year here Taoyuan. So guys, Shin Nyen Kway La!


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